DID YOU READ

Considering the fact that “Jaws” continues to be popular even in its 37th year, it is easy to see that Steven Spielberg‘s first feature film is as effective as it’s ever been. Or, as documentary producer J. Michael Roddy would say, the shark is still working.

Roddy used to work as Universal Orlando’s Manager of Show Development and Senior Show Director, so it is easy to understand why he has a stake in the company’s back catalogue. But it was clear when speaking to him at the press day for the upcoming “Jaws” Blu-ray, out Tuesday, that he’s been a longtime fan of the classic. Back in 2007, Roddy created a documentary called “The Shark Is Still Working” that included new interviews with Steven Spielberg, John Williams and Richard Dreyfuss, and fans are going to finally get to see it on the Blu-ray release that will honor Universal’s 100th anniversary.

Share

Share on Facebook:

“When we interviewed Steven, he’s fantastic. He’s a film geek. He’s a walking knowledge base of film, and it was such a wonderful time, we just had a blast. But you think about it and you think about the films he’d done before that — he’d done a lot for television and he had ‘Duel,’ which was a TV movie, and then also ‘Sugarland Express’ — but all of those were very different types of films,” Roddy explained of his experience making the documentary. “‘Jaws’ really established the style of Steven Spielberg that we know today. That’s the film I think we can hearken back to and say, ‘There’s the beginning of the man that made “Raiders” and the man that made “E.T.” and all the films that we love so much.'”

Roddy cited Laurent Bouzereau’s 1995 documentary “The Making of Steven Spielberg’s ‘Jaws'” as the reason he went out and got a laser disc player at the time, so it’s clear that he wanted to create something that would have a similar effect on a new generation a decade later. Since Bouzereau had focused on the production of “Jaws,” Roddy explained that he wanted to focus on what happened after that: its legacy, its impact on society, and the fact that it has inspired and terrified so many people since.

It’s not news that Spielberg and the rest of his cast and crew had a difficult time bringing “Jaws” to the big screen, but Roddy said he was still taken aback by the fact that they had no idea back in 1974 just how big the movie would become a year later. “I don’t think any of them really understood,” he said. “They were like, ‘It’s a hit! That’s great!’ And even now, all the interviews, there’s still kind of this shock and awe that it’s this entity that’s lasted 35 years.”

Roddy continued, “I think ‘Jaws’ came out at the right time for America and the world. We had just had a devastating war that was wrapping up, and also the films of the early ’70s were very gritty and real. Fantastic, but they weren’t entertaining, per se. And ‘Jaws’ is a piece of entertainment. I mean, it’s pure Steven Spielberg entertainment.”

In addition to that, it’s a film that many can relate to. Shark attacks are a valid fear, though they don’t happen as frequently as one might think. Spielberg capitalized on that terror and turned it into a quality thriller that is rooted in reality while also being pure fantasy.

“The shark still works because every generation will discover ‘Jaws’ and be terrified by it,” Roddy said. “The shark didn’t work in 1974, but when it hit theaters, that shark worked really well. It worked amazing. It created a whole genre called the summer blockbuster. And now, some 37 years later, here we have the Blu-ray released and it looks better than ever.”

The Blu-ray production returned back to the original 35mm film of “Jaws” and lovingly transferred the movie frame-by-frame to a digital format. Because of that, Roddy believes that it will open the movie up to a whole new generation while making it even more accessible to those who have been fans since the beginning.

“I think ‘Jaws’ is a signature piece. It is Steven Spielberg’s first film that really put his name out there. It also was the creation of the summer blockbuster,” Roddy explained of the film’s legacy. “‘Jaws’ was a piece of entertainment that said to families, ‘Go to the movies in the summer. Don’t just send your kids. Everybody go, and we are going to scare the heck out of you.'”

“Jaws” hits Blu-Ray on August 14.

Do you plan to pick up the Blu-ray of “Jaws”? Tell us in the comments section below or on Facebook and Twitter.

Advertisement

Videos

The Best Of The Last

The end is near. In mere days Portlandia wraps up its final season, and oh what a season it’s been. Lucky for you, you can watch the entire season right now right here and on the IFC app, including this free episode courtesy of Subaru.

But now, let’s take a moment to look back at some of the new classics Fred and Carrie have so thoughtfully bestowed upon us. (We’ll be looking back through tear-blurred eyes, but you do you.)

Couples Dinner

It’s not that being single sucks, it’s that you suck if you’re single.

Cancel it!

A sketch for anyone who has cancelled more appointments than they’ve kept. Which is everyone.

Forgotten America

This one’s a “Serial” killer…everything both right and wrong about true crime podcasts.

Wedding Planners

The only bad wedding is a boring wedding.

Disaster Hut

It’s only the end of the world if your doomsday kit doesn’t include rosé.

Catch up on Portlandia’s final episodes on demand and at IFC.com

Advertisement

Videos

Your Portlandia Personality Test

Carrie and Fred understand that although we have so much in common, we’re each so beautifully unique and different. To help us navigate those differences, Portlandia has found an easy and honest way to embrace our special selves in the form of a progressive new traffic system: a specific lane for every kind of driver. It’s all in honor of the show’s 8th and final season, and it’s all presented by Subaru.

Ready to find out who you really are? Match your personality to a lane and hop on the expressway to self-understanding.

Lane 10: Trucks Piled With Junk

Your junk is falling out of your trunk. Shake a tail light, people — this lane is for you.

Lane 33: Twins

You’re like a Gemini, but waaaay more pedestrian. Maybe you and a friend just wear the same outfits a lot. Who cares, it’s just twinning enough to make you feel special.

Lane 27: Broken Windows

Bad luck follows you around and everyone knows it. Your proverbial seat is always damp from proverbial rain. Is this the universe telling you to swallow your pride? Yes.

Lane 69: Filthy Cars

You’re all about convenience. Getting your car washed while you drive is a no-brainer.

Lane 43: Newly Divorced Singles

It’s been a while since you’ve driven alone, and you don’t know the rules of the road anymore. What’s too fast? What’s too slow? Are you sending the right signals? Don’t worry, the breakdown lane is nearby if you need it.

Still can’t find a lane to match your personality? Check out all the videos here. And see the final season of Portlandia this spring on IFC.